What Unai Emery told Arsenal players at half time

Arsenal boss Unai Emery has revealed what he told his players at half time before the Gunners snatched a draw at Old Trafford on Monday night.

Emery says he told his Arsenal players about playing with more calmness in the second half as they fought back from a goal down to force a 1-1 result. Midfielder Scott McTominay put Manchester United ahead just before half time before Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang levelled the scores for the visitors in the second half. However, his goal had to be ruled out first by the linesman before VAR check.

Emery felt his side kept United at bay well in the first half, though instructed them to play with more intention to score at the half-time break, and felt they could have got a winner too.

"It’s not the best result, but I think the draw is far for the two teams after 90 minutes," he said when asked about the results.

"The first half, for example, they started pressing a lot, but we controlled the match with good positioning, not letting a lot of chances. At the end of the first half, we let them have three transitions, and the third was a goal.

"And second half we were speaking in the dressing room: be calm and our objective was to score one goal and after to try to find our moment to get the possibility to win the match. But really after our goal, little by little, they imposed also, they pushed with their supporters here and we struggled."

"But also we had good chances to score the second goal, with Bukayo [Saka] and the second with Reiss Nelson after a good action with [Joe] Willock. ‘But also they had some chances to score. So after I think the team deserves two draws."

Emery's men will turn their attention to Europa League when they host Standard Liège at the Emirates on Thursday night.